Tofu-rizo beer chili

A lot of staple game day grub is pretty heavy on meat and dairy, which means it’s gotta get sidelined for anyone looking to cut the planet-warming potential of their food habits. When it comes to emissions, chili and nachos are among the worst offenders. So we knew we had to give our bowl of red a meat-free makeover to help y’all unlock both of those watch-party mainstays.

Chili cookin’ comes with lots of opinions. Meat or no meat? Beans or Texas-style (beanless)? We're of the opinion that the best ones have both. Our game day chili has three different beans and chorizo-spiced crumbled tofu—plus some dark beer, to bring out the “meaty” flavors. To give the tofu-rizo a chewier texture that’s ideal for chili, I freeze the block first then let it thaw before grating it. If you’re new here, this is one of our favorite tricks: Freezing tofu gives it a spongier texture that’s bouncier and better at absorbing flavors. In this instance, it’s also great because tofu crumbles will also hold their shape well, which makes for a pretty spot-on swap, texturally speaking.

You can make this chili up to three days ahead, and it gets better as it sits and the spices have had time to mingle. You can eat it straight up with toppings, with cornbread for dunking, or bake it up atop a bed of nachos with cashew butter queso and all the fixins’.

Tofu-rizo Beer Chili

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces extra-firm tofu, frozen and thawed
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 14-ounce can black beans
• 14-ounce can kidney beans
• 14-ounce can pinto beans
• 1 cup dark beer (like stout), optional
• Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Procedure:

1. Using the large holes of a cheese grater, coarsely grate the tofu, then dab the shreds with a clean kitchen towel to remove any remaining water.
2. In a Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil. Add onion and garlic; sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the grated tofu to the pan and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet occasionally, until things start to crisp up. Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, and beer.
5. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Continue simmering for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Divide chili into bowls and top with cilantro.

Notes and Substitutions:

• You can use 2 tablespoons of premixed taco seasoning instead of a mix of chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and salt.
• If you’re not using beer, you can sub in an equal amount of veggie broth or apple cider.